Riz à la Grecque

Riz à la Grecque (French pilaff rice with sausage, lettuce, peas, and red capsicum) teaches the discipline of finishing late. The rice must be cooked and separate before the garnish arrives, then peas, ciseled lettuce, pork, and red capsicum get only seven or eight minutes together. That short final marriage keeps each ingredient itself instead of turning the pan into a soft, muddled rice.

The original kitchen assumed Pilaff rice already hot, peas cooked à la Française in their own pan, a stockpot never off the fire, and several hands weighing garnish by the pound. At home, a lidded saucepan makes the Pilaff, one deep skillet handles both garnishes, and frozen peas plus jarred roasted red capsicum stand honestly for vegetables kept ready in the brigade pantry. This formula makes about two pounds of finished rice, enough for four, while preserving the source proportions. One cook, one stove, one evening.

The separate holding pans were brigade scaffolding, so they go. The final seven-minute fold is the dish, so it stays. Keep the heat low and fold with a broad spoon; if the rice tightens, a spoonful of hot stock brings it back. Ça se rattrape.